The afternoon sun painted golden streaks across the clearing where Ayan and Tang San stood facing each other. The air between them was still, yet heavy with the tension of an impending clash.
"You sure you want to try this?" Tang San asked, tying his sleeves back.
Ayan smirked. "Of course. You showed me your hammer, I showed you my clones. Now, let's see who's more dangerous."
With a sharp inhale, Ayan summoned his Doppelganger Soul again.
One… two… three… until there were seven identical Ayans standing in a perfect half-circle around Tang San. Each clone cracked their knuckles, their eyes glinting with the same mischievous fire.
Tang San shifted into a defensive stance, Blue Silver Grass already flickering into existence at his fingertips.
"All of you at once, then?"
"All of us at once," Ayan replied, his voice layered by the echoes of his six clones.
---
The Battle Began
Two Ayans charged straight in, forcing Tang San to step back and whip his Blue Silver Grass like a whip, binding one by the leg and slamming him into the ground. But before he could breathe, another clone swept in from behind, landing a kick to his side.
Tang San turned, blocking, but three more came in from different angles — one low, one mid, one high. The real Ayan moved unpredictably among them, making it impossible to tell who was genuine.
Tang San frowned. I can't read him… they move like they share one mind.
He used his movement skills to slip away, vines snapping out to grab two clones at once, only for them to burst into black mist. Ayan's laugh came from somewhere in the chaos.
"Careful, brother! You're losing count."
---
Strategy Shift
Tang San changed tactics, using his senses rather than sight, focusing on the weight and force behind each hit. One clone moved with sharper precision — the real one. He lashed out, Blue Silver Grass binding the real Ayan around the torso.
The remaining clones froze for half a second, their movements disrupted. Tang San pulled Ayan forward and tapped his forehead with a smirk.
"Got you."
---
Aftermath
The clones dissolved into shadow, leaving only the panting, grinning real Ayan.
"You're good," Ayan admitted, brushing dirt from his clothes. "But imagine when I get faster… and stronger."
Tang San gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Then I'll just have to get faster too."
Both laughed, but deep inside, Ayan was already thinking about the future — a future where his Doppelganger Soul could overwhelm not just friends… but enemies who underestimated him.